Leftovers

My family is traveling to my parents’ house for Thanksgiving and we are really looking forward to the trip. There is, however, one annual point of argument. My Mom is old school and believes that it is fine to leave leftovers in the oven for several hours before storing the food. I am afraid for my kids to eat the food the next day and that always starts a fight. Do you have any suggestions?

Many people get food related illness around Thanksgiving from poor handling and storage. Though it is probably not possible to keep hot foods hot and cold foods cold at the dinner table, food should be left out no more than 2 hours. Food should be stored in clean containers, rather than the dishes they were cooked in, and it is best to use several shallow containers. Each item should be stored separately and stuffing removed from the turkey before storage. The turkey should also be removed from the bone. Rather than fighting with your Mother, perhaps it is best if you suggest that you and others will handle the clean up since she did the cooking. Pour her a glass of hot tea and let her put her feet up while you store the food, your way.